Southerly storm pushes New Zealand back into winter. by Steph Ball
Stormy conditions pounding the Wellington area yesterday, bought the capital to a standstill as southerly gales gusted up to 90mph. Passengers were left stranded as the stormy weather bought cancellations to both sea and air travel.
Parts of the capital were also plunged into momentary darkness as forked lightning strikes brought power cuts. Torrential downpours hit parts of Wairarapa hardest, with more than an inch of rain falling in just half an hour causing landslides.
Whilst the winds have eased somewhat today and normal services are slowly resuming, the storm has left a sting in its tail, bringing a “polar blast” to the Islands. Winter returns as forecasters warn of icy conditions and expected snow falls.
Whilst the public have been warned to expect the wintry blast, a warning has also gone out to farmers, with authorities mindful that for many the lambing season has already started.
Moderate frosts are also expected to hit the vineyards in Otago and Canterbury, with conditions forecast to remain bleak well into the weekend.
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